The invention relates to a frictionally engaged free-wheel clutch with an exterior ring, an interior ring approximately concentric in reference thereto, and several clamping bodies arranged in the circular gap between the interior and the exterior ring, which in one direction block a rotation of the interior ring relative to the exterior ring, and release it in the other direction.
Such free-wheel clutches, also called overriding clutches, return stops, or advance release free-wheels, operate according to the known principle, that the clamping bodies block a relative rotation of the interior ring in reference to the exterior ring in one direction, by the interior and/or the exterior ring entraining them in a frictionally engaged manner, so that they get clamped between the interior ring and the exterior ring. However, with a relative rotation in the opposite direction the clamping bodies are released from said clamping position.
Here, two designs are distinguished, namely the clamping body free-wheels and clamping roller free-wheels. In the clamping body free-wheels, the interior ring and the exterior ring have circular cylindrical running paths and the clamping bodies have a rotationally asymmetrical cam-like profile. In a rotation of the interior ring relative to the exterior ring in the blocking direction the clamping bodies erect and wedge in the circular gap between the interior and the exterior ring.
In the clamping roller free-wheels, however, clamping ramps are arranged on the interior or the exterior ring, on which the cylindrical clamping rollers run up during a rotation in the blocking direction and become rotated in a frictionally engaged manner between the interior and the exterior ring.
In order to ensure the constant ability for engagement, the clamping bodies are pressed slightly against the running path of the interior and the exterior ring by way of a spring.
The present invention relates to both types of free-wheel designs.